Ancient Roman Views of the Afterlife + Death a Familiar Face

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ANCIENT ROMAN VIEWS OF THE AFTERLIFE + DEATH A FAMILIAR FACE • The Rostra “When, however, the head of Cicero also was brought to them one day (he had been overtaken and slain in flight), Antony uttered many bitter reproaches against it and then ordered it to be exposed on the rostra more prominently than the rest, in order that it might be seen in the very place where Cicero had so often been heard declaiming against him, together with his right hand, just as it had been cut off.” – Cassius Dio A FAMILIAR FACE • The Rostra • The Colosseum A FAMILIAR FACE • The Rostra • The Colosseum • Path to the City A FAMILIAR FACE • The Rostra • The Colosseum • Path to the City • Death Masks A FAMILIAR FACE • The Rostra • The Colosseum • Path to the City • Death Masks • Dining Decorations A FAMILIAR FACE • The Rostra • The Colosseum • Path to the City • Death Masks • Dining Decoration • Mortality Rates RITES OF DEATH • Professional Undertakers (Libitinarii) • A Coin for Passage • 8-Day Waiting Period • Pompa at Night THE POMPA • Musicians • Professional Mourners • Mimes/Actors • Freed Slaves • “Ancestors” with masks • The Deceased • The family BURIAL/ CREMATION • Originally Romans were buried • Cremation popular in late Republic until the rise of Christianity • Ashes and bones still buried in cremation vessels TOMBSTONES THE AFTERLIFE • Vague belief dead lived on in some way • Offerings made at tomb • Parentalia (February) • Lemuralia (May) • The Underworld THE MYTHOLOGY OF BELIEF Gods of Death + the Underworld Psychopomps + Chthonic Gods • Hades • Hermes • Orcus • Hecate • Dis Pater • Hypnus • Pluto • Thanatos • Charon • Moirai • Charun (Etruscan) • Erinyes TYPES OF GHOSTS • Lares • Larvae & Lemures • Manes (the “kindly ones”) NECROMANCY IN ANCIENT ROME • Odysseus • Periander • Appius (friend to Cicero) • Emperors Nero + Caracalla.

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